[wplug] AOL looking to buy Red Hat

[David Gerard Matthews Jr.]

Hagbard Celine wrote:
> 
> <some snipping>

> Well, correct me if I'm wrong, please, but doesn't development of such systems
> software as gcc, glibc, automake, autoconf, and a couple of others *depend* on
> the contributions of Red Hat people, 

Yes, those utilities are being maintained by RH people now, but there's
no reason why they have to be. Anyone could step in and take over the
reins if need be. Let's hear it for the GPL!  I'm hardly a fan of AOL
(or large mega-corporations in general, for that matter), but I don't
see how this can really hurt Linux that much (and most ./ers seem to
agree).  This is *free* software we're talking about, and any
modifications they make will have to be GPL'd.  They couldn't pull a
Netscape if they tried - and for that matter Netscape (the software, if
not the corp.) does still exist.  I'm running it right now.  
-dgm
P.S.:  Business/politics makes strange bedfellows.  Never thought I'd
live to see the day when I'd be sticking upo for AOL and
anti-competitive business practices.  But I guess there's a first time
for everything.